Talking ATMs

More than 90 per cent of blindness occurs in developing countries and in many of the markets where we operate. To make banking more convenient and inclusive for people with visual impairments, we recently introduced Talking ATMs in China, India, Indonesia, Korea and Pakistan.

First of a kind

The first-of-a-kind in China and South East Asia, the ATMs allow customers to make cash withdrawals, change their PIN and check their balance through a voice activated system. Using a headset, customers can listen to a pre-recorded voice that takes them through their banking options. Each ATM also has a raised ‘5’ to help visually impaired customers find the middle of the keypad.

The ATMs were developed in consultation with our visually impaired employees as well as local eye-care organisations.

Improving access to finance

Chen Xian Shen, from our telesales team in China said “In the past, I could only withdraw cash on working days under the guidance of bank staff and waiting in long queues. Now, I can do it anytime and it is giving me more freedom.”

Steve Bertamini, Group Executive Director and CEO, Consumer Banking, said: “Our Talking ATMs are one of the many ways we’re improving access to finance and creating a more inclusive banking experience for customers.”

What’s next?

Our strategy

We aspire to be the world's leading international bank, across Asia, Africa and the Middle East.